Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-01-23
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A morning OF bright sunshine and a soft,
warm air did not, however. bring any
| change to their new and constrained rela-
tions. 1t only seemed TO offer a reason for
Falkner to leave the house very early for
his daily rounds, and gave Lee that I'M
aided exercise with an eXtempore crutch on
the veranda which allowed Mrs. Hale to
pursue her manifold duties without the
| necessity of keeping him company. Kate
also, us if to avoid an accidental meeting
with Falkner, had remained at home with
her sister. With one exception, they did
not make their guests the subject of their
usual playful comments, nor, after the
fashion of their sex, quote their ideas and
opinions. That exception was made by
Mrs. Hale.
ssYou have had no difference with Mr..
Falkner," she said careleSsly.
mo" said Kate, quickly. Why"
~ only thought he seemed rather put
out at dinner last night, and You didn't
propose to 20 and meet him to-day"
He must be bored with my company at
times, | dare say" said Kate, with an IN
difference quite inconsistent with her rising
color. II shouldn't wonder if he was a little
yeXed with Mr.. Lees chatting him about
his sport Yesterday, and probably intends
10 90 further to-day and bring home larger
game. | think Mr.. Lee very amusing al
WAYS, but | sometimes fancy he lacks feel
ing" >,
"Feeling! You don't know him, Kate, y
said Mrs. Hale quickly. She stopped her
self. but with q half smiling recollection
in her dropped eyelids.
"Well, he doesn't look very amlahle now
stamping up and down the veranda. Per
haps you'd better 90 and soothe him
'Pm really so busy just now" said Mrs.
Hale, withsudden and inc%Onsequent energy,
things have got dreadtully behind in the
last week. YOu had better 90, Kate, and
make him sit down, or he'll be OVERRIDING
it. These men never know any medium
in anything
Contrary to Rates expectation, Falk-
ner returned earlier than usual, and, taking
the invalid's arm, supported him IN a
more ambitious walk along the terrace De
fore the house. They were apparently ab-
sorbcdi in conversation, but the two women
who observed them from the window could
not help noticing the almost feminine ten
derness OF Falkuer's manner toward his
wounded friend and the thoughtful tender
ness OF his ministering care.
Il wonder" said Mrs. Hale, following
them with softly appreciative eyes, III
women are CAPABLE of rs diSintereSted
friendship as men? ] never saw anything
like the devotion of these two creatures.
Look, if Mr.. Falkner hasn't got his arm
around Mr.. Lees waist. and Lee, with his
own arm over Falkncr's neck, Is looking
up in his eyes. | declare, Kate, 1t almost
seems an indiscretion to look at them
Kate, however, TO Mrs. Hale's indigna-
ton, threw her pretty head back and sniff
ed the air contemptunusly. IL really don't
see ANYTHING but some absurd sentimental
ism of their own, or some manniSh wicked
ness they're connecting by themselves. |
am bv no means certain, ,Josephene, that
| Lees influence over that Young man Is the
best thing for him."
''On the contrary! Lees iniluenSe seems
the only thing that checks his wayward'
ness" said Mrs. Hale quickly. "I'm sure
II anv one makes sacrifices it is Ice;
shouldn't wonder that even now he Is max
inc some concession Ia Falkncr, and all
those careSSing ways of your friend are for
q purpose. They're not much different
from us, dear
well, ! wouldn't stand there and let
| them see me looking at them ash | couldn't
bear them out of my sight for a moment, y
said Kate, whisking herself out of the
room. ''They're cOnceited enough, heaven
knows, already.
That evening at dinner, however, the
two men exhibited no trace of the restraint
or uneasiness of the previous day. If they
were less impulSive and eNhcberant, they
were still frank and interested, and II the
term could lie used in connection with men
apparently trained to neither self control
nor rcpOse. there was a certain gentle dig
nitv in their manner which for the time
had the effect of lifting then. n little above
the social level of their entertainers. FoI
even with all their prediSpoSitiOn to the
strappers, Kate and Mrs. Hale had always
retained a conscious attitude or gentle
condescensiOn and superiority toward
them-an attitude not inconsistent with
n stronger feeling, nor altogether unpro'
vocative of it.; yet this evening they
found themselves impressed with some
thing more than IN equality in the mel
who had amused and interested them, ant
they were perhaps n little more critical ano
doubtful of their own power. Mrs. Hale
little girl, who had appreciated only tn,
seriousness of the situation, had made hcl
own application of it. Are you DOWN
away from Aunt Kate and mammal she
asked, in an interval of silence"
Glow else can / get you the red snow
We saw at sunset the other day on the peak
youder?" said Lee, gayly. I'll have tC
get up some morning very early, and eaten
il when it comes ut sunrise"
what is this wonderful snow, Minnie,
that YOU are t%ormenting Mr.. Lee for?'
asked Mrs. Hale.
''Oh! it's a fairy snow that he told mt
all about; it only comes when the sun
comes up and goes down, and II you catch
ever so little. OF it in your hand 1t makes
all YOU fink you want come true! WOuldn't
that be nice?" But to the child's aStoniSh'
ment her little circle of auditors, even
while asserting, sighed.
The red snow was there plain enough
the next morning before the valley was
warm with light, and while Minnie, heI
mother and aunt Kate were still peacefully
sleeping. And Mr.. Lee had kept his word
and was evidently seeking it, for he and
Faulkner were already urging their horses
through the pass, with their faces toward
and lit up by its glow.
CHAPTER VIII.
Kate was stirring early, hut not rs early
as her sister, who met her on the threshold
of her ronm. Her fnce was quite pale, and